Escaping Fate
by Keezheekoni
Summary: After trying to escape her past, Amber must face it to have a future


Chapter 1

The Earth we know is gone and out of the ashes raised a new society with new laws ruled by speed. Somewhere in the world lies a city that is divided. Most of it lies on the coast with its shinning towers and beautiful parks and attractions. This was the east side of the city. But that is not where it begins. If you look towards the west you will see an island with abandoned buildings and rusting metal workings. On the north end of the island is a large compound and a junkyard in it along with large warehouses surrounded by a large chain link fence that keep sullen people from leaving. In one such warehouse is where our story begins...

"Amber!"

Clank! Crash! Metal screeched on metal as something hit something else.

"Ouch! What the Hell?" came a muffled curse from under a car.

"If you can Miss Amber, the warden will like to see you."

A Young woman slid from under the car rubbing the back of her head. She wore an old mechanics shirt with oil stains. She had a grimy handkerchief in the back pocket of her jeans that she used to wipe her hands on.

"What did I do now Kevin?" She asked the man in front of her in a grey and red uniform with a helmet and a strange looking gun in his hand. One glance told Amber was a paralyzer, one shot and all you can do is breath and pray.

"No idea Amber." Kevin said as another person came up with a box of parts that he set down on a workbench.

Like Amber he wore a mechanics shirt and jeans. But while Amber's hair was in a bun his is black hair was windblown and short. His blue eyes sparkled and he grinned at her.

"What did you do now?" He asked Amber.

"No idea." She winced as she felt a soft spot on the back of her head "Felix any chance you can finish this up all you have to do is put it back together."

"Sure, just remember that Clint is cooking so you might want to take your time." Felix joked as he slid back under the car.

"Alright Kevin lead the way." Amber laughed, gesturing to Kevin to lead the way

As the sound of bolts being tighten came from under the car with the occasional swear word could be heard from Felix when a bolt was dropped.

Kevin had a half smile on his face began walking. Talking to the warden was no joking matter, but yet Amber and Felix made it sound like a trip to the park.

They passed many stations each with a pair of mechanics working on a car or motorcycle type thing. Everything was built for racing. Cars went fast, they flew only landing on the roads below for a race. The Motorcycles were called Speed-motorcycles also know as S-bikes for short. They tended to look like the motorcycles of old, although some looked like dirt bikes and occasionally ATVs and they always rode on the road causing a heated dispute between them and the car owners that ended in a race for control that still went on today.

Soon they came up to a pair that had a tall girl leaning against a car while another person worked underneath. The girl had blond hair that was in a neat bun while Amber's dark bun had hairs sticking out. Amber called out a greeting to them

"Hey Jessie, are you keeping Clint busy?"

The girl looked up and grinned while the other slid out from underneath missing the fender by an inch when he jumped up. He had short read spiky hair that caused you to notice him. His eyes gleamed with amusement as Jessie returned the greeting.

"Hi Amber, are you going to see the warden?" She replied "Hello Kevin. Is she in trouble again?" Kevin shrugged and grinned as Clint shook his hand.

"How is your cooking coming along?" Kevin asked as Amber and Jessie busted out laughing causing people to look around startled.

"All I did was asking about his cooking you know!" Kevin barked at the girls. He turned back to Clint who was about to answer but Jessie replied first.

"It is the same." Jessie said clutching the open car door for support. Amber nodded "You can't tell the difference because it is always burnt beyond recognition!"

"Even Hope will not touch it." Clint soberly explained to Kevin.

Hope was a thirteen year old girl that arrived with Amber four years ago. She always followed Amber around when she was off from work. Hope even slept in Amber's room during a thunderstorm or when it was very cold. She was well known for keeping tabs on the movements of the officers around town. She was also known to be kind a truthful and a smart ass on occasions, but she was the darling of west side.

"Don't worry about it just come by when you have a day off. I know Darla would love to give you another lesson." Kevin said slapping a depressed Clint on the back.

Darla was Kevin's wife. Together they lived with Holly a doctor that was caught on the wrong side when East and West divided. She was a good doctor and lived in a park near the west coast of the island. Together they raised orphans until they were old enough to leave or were adopted.

"Alright, come on Amber." Kevin said turning serious again "We wasted enough time and you know the warden doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"See you at home Jessie. Clint, make sure Hope is home BEFORE dinner." Amber ordered as she walked behind Kevin towards the stairs that led to the offices above.

"Be sure to be there Amber, it wouldn't be dinner with out you!" Jessie called behind her; Amber waved her hand in acknowledgement as she followed Kevin out the door to the grey outdoors.

They didn't need to shade their eyes from the sun since it was hidden by thick smog that blocked the light. So the run down city was always lighted by dim street lights. Amber was led across an open space with a flag in the middle. Amber looked at the ragged Flag of the East. A roaring tiger was set on a black background. The colors where dull but you couldn't help but feel that it was daring you to break the rules which Amber usually did for the good of her friends. Warehouses surrounded the empty area and a tall building that towered over the compound. From her experience Amber knew that from the top floor you could see the East since she was summoned there to speak about her role in the West and the rules she broken. To the south were guard towers on either side of a large gate that was to prevent any unauthorized people from entering and ruining the compound's work. The gates led to the rest of the island which was just as run down as the compound and the junkyard outside of the gate where they got their parts and other tools to fix the vehicles.

They entered the modern building that had the city's motto over the doorway.

"Speed is everything."

They pass a room full of new arrivals that are being processed by a group of officers with paralyzes. They looked like real mean with a bunch of tattoos on their exposed arms. Amber paused and looked at a man that was auguring with one of the officers. He was different. Instead of muscled and grim looking that the rest, he wore a suit and looked like he never worked a day in his life. He was red in the face and was waving a finger in the officer's face. She had to hand it to him the officer wasn't even moving or reaction to the man in front of him. Amber watched amused as she remembered when she was first brought to that same room with Hope. They were caught in the East with no permit even though they were just passing though. It took all the offers in the room to bring her down and that was after they paralyzed her.

Finally the man jabbed a finger in the officer's shoulder and the officer reacted. He grabbed the finger and snapped it with a resounding crack causing others to turn and look. The man's face drained of color as Amber knew from experience a bolt of pain shot though his hand.

Amber managed to break all of her fingers at least once from accidents that happened at work. Her right wrist alerted her to cold snaps and storms with a bolt of pain. She had broken her wrist four years ago when she crashed.

The officer pointed to the bench and the man sat. Then he did nothing but rock back and forth muttering what she suspected was curses.

"They still have a place for you in the pit you know." Kevin said behind her causing her to jump a bit.

She smiled weakly. The pit was dug into the ground near the ocean. High tide filled it up to your knees; add to that the water was freezing and no food or warmth it was how they handled people who refused to follow the rules. Amber was sent there once when she was framed for stealing parts. She was thrown in there until she confessed. Amber survived four days in that hell hole until the real culprit was caught.

"I think I'll pass this time." She replied turning her attention to the arrivals again.

"What do you think about this bunch?" He asked amused at her reaction.

Amber pondered for a moment. She pointed to the suit man. "I'll keep an eye on him since he easily used to be rich by his clothing. His reaction to the situation suggests that he is not used to be treated so rough. The way that he convinced the others also suggests that he has a way of words. I can't hear what is going on but…" She let the sentence hang causing Kevin to marvel at her observation skills.

"Go on Amber." He prompted, he was curious about the rest of her report.

"I can't put my finger on it but." She pointed out a heavily tattooed man on the other side of the room that was glaring at the whimpering man, "Those two has a history together so you might want to keep them apart until you find out more."

Kevin beckoned an officer over and whispered instructions in to his ear. Meanwhile, Amber looked at the others that had the same tattoos as the man at the end of the room. That could only mean one thing; a gang was busted and sent over. That was dangerous because they had no respect for others. Most likely they all would have reservations in the pit during their stay.

"Alright Amber, I know this brings back fond memories but the warden is still waiting." Kevin broke in to her thoughts deeply amused since he was one of the officers that had a hard time bringing her down.

Amber sighed and turned her back to the one way glass and followed Kevin into a glass elevator that showed the expanding compound on the way to the top floor. She could see the Pit as the elevator stopped halfway up as officers got on with a raggedy person slumped forward held up by the officers. She had fresh bruises and multiple cuts that suggested that she was in a fight recently. The officers greeted Kevin and Amber.

"This one is a wildcat." One said nodding at Amber. "Not as wild as you were Amber but still can put up a good fight."

The elevator started up again.

"What is this one's story?" Kevin asked interested.

"She was very popular and married to an infamous street fighter." The other officer reported. "Apparently she caught him cheating and instead of filing for separation she killed him in cold blood with her hands by strangling him in front of his mistress. Then she went after the girl who revealed that the husband rapped her and threaten to kill her if she told anybody."

"Is that so?" Amber asked as the woman began to stir." What happened then?"

The first officer spoke again. "It would seem that once she found out. This one was horrified that she was about to kill an innocent person and her mind shattered leaving this." He shook her a bit "An empty body without a mind or spirit but leaving a killer instinct to attack anybody in range."

"So you're putting her Lockdown?" Kevin asked as the elevator slowed to a stop and the doors opened to a white hallway with arms hanging out the barred doors.

"You bet your salary we are. It is safer for everybody" the officer continued exiting the elevator. Before the door closed Amber threw a comment at them

"But not for her cell mate." She said acidly causing Kevin to look at her in shock.

Amber rarely got mad. But when she was Kevin would rather be in the pit then in the same room. Amber always said what was on her mind and didn't care if you wanted to hear it or not.

She shook her head and looked at Kevin as the elevator started up again.

"Sorry." She mumbled "It got away from me." She rested her head on the cool glass while staring outside.

"I know how you feel Amber." Kevin said Kevin starring at the door.

"You sure you do?" She asked coolly as floors flashed by.

Kevin nodded "You shouldn't be here at all. I read your file and I think that you and Hope would be somewhere else besides this Hell on Earth."

Amber sighed deeply and sullenly said "It doesn't matter I am here and not on the road as I should be with Hope."

"But I am happy that you are here Amber." Amber turned and looked at Kevin who still had his back to her.

"Why do you say that?" She asked slowly almost afraid of his reply.

"All you have to do is look around." Kevin said still not looking at her "You will see how much of a difference your presence made on this Island. Nobody really thought about anything but work and home. But you brought hope and happiness here. Just think about Felix, Clint, and Jessie. They were always sad and lonely. But now you have brought them together and made them inseparable."

Amber peered at him thinking about his words. He was right Felix, Clint, and Jessie were almost classified as liabilities and sent away to maximum lockdown until Amber united them and kept them out of trouble long enough for them to realize that for the first time in their hard lives somebody really cared.

"Besides you probably would have been stopped later on and tell me would you have been as lucky there as you are here?" Kevin added as the elevator slowed down.

"I wouldn't call it luck." Amber thought. "I hate to admit it but he dose have a point. I just wish Hope was somewhere else."

The elevator stopped and the door opened to a hallway with portraits of past wardens glaring down from the walls. Amber followed Kevin focusing on what was in front of her while ignoring the glares that made her hair stands on end. They paused at a slim secretary who said nothing and waved them forward. They approached to large carved doors with the Officer's seal and knocked. A cool voice came from within

"Enter."

Kevin opened the door and went in. Amber followed and shut the doors behind her. Leaving the pictures to try and burn thought the doors with their eternal glares.

Felix was still working under the car. But he was tightening the bolts automatically because he was thinking. He wasn't sent to the west side like Amber, Hope or Clint. He was born here like Jessie to people who where sent over. That was one of the west's Major problems, Overpopulation. Many people came over but none left. Add to that that families were stared and you got people fighting for a place to live. It wasn't bad now but gives it a few years and then you'll run in to gang wars and so on. But that meant more work went faster and more time off but that also meant more time to Cause mischief.

Felix gave the bolt one last turn and sighed. He laid his greased stained hand on his chest as his head rested on his other arm. He looked up at the now complete underside of the car.

Life in the west wasn't pleasant. But when you got friends like Clint, Jessie, Amber and Hope it made the island feel better than the East.

He slid out from under the car blinking in the light. He got up with a groan and ran his hand though his hair.

"Now where did she put that piece of shit?" He grumbled as he shifted though papers on a small table.

"Here it is." He looked at a crumpled paper and smoothed it out. He filled in a few lines and signed it. He then picked up a stamp and stamped it in blue ink with the symbol of the mechanics. A hammer and wench crossed each other as nails created a circle. Now all her had to do is deliver the paper to the drop box and he was done for the day. Mechanics get a car or bike every time they finish one. But it took a day to drive the finished one out and bring in the broken one so mechanics tried to finish their cars at the beginning of the day so they have to rest of the day off. Felix dropped off the paper and headed to Clint and Jessie's station. Jessie was under the bike as Clint filled out the paper work they both greeted him and to a break to chat awhile.

"I wonder what Amber did now?" Jessie asked starring at the doors.

"Don't know but hopefully it ends up better than the last visit." Clint said dryly as he whipped his hands causing Jessie to glare at him.

"I think we all know how that ended." Felix said casually leaning against a work table with arms crossed.

"That bitch nearly killed her for something she didn't do." Jessie hissed darkly causing passing people to look around alarmed.

"Chill, Jess." Felix said "She returned back to normal under the care of Holly and Hope."

"Only after she survived the grip of fever and a couple of weeks bed rest." Jessie snapped at an unflinching Felix.

"But she managed to finish a fight when she got back to work and caught a thief that was stealing your tools Jess." Clint pointed out "That proves that she was fully recovered and she can take care of herself like she did before she came here."

Jessie flinched as did Felix. Amber never talked about where she came from and they never asked but what they heard from Hope that Amber came from a town far away and planned never to return before she crashed in the East.

"You're right." Jessie admitted. "But one can't help but worry what the warden will want with her." The guys nodded in agreement as a whistle blew. It was Time to head home. Felix waited as Jessie and Clint cleaned up and locked their station. Then they headed out following others as they thought their thoughts glancing at the warden's tower.


End file.
